Bumper



Aug. 5. '1924. 1,503,790

B. P. HANSON BUMPER Filed Sept. 5. 1923 9/ l m E I D l W/n /l; (D m (D a z- 1O 0 i I w u. g a

gwuentoz B. P. HANSON,

Patented Aug. 5 1.924.

iBENN'IE P. HANSON, OF CEDAR FALLS, IOWA.

BUMPER.

Application filed September 5, 1923. Serial No. 661,032.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, BENNIE P. Henson, a citizen of the United States, residing t Cedar Falls, in the county of Blackhawk' and State of Iowa, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Bumpers; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same. r

The present invention relates to bumpers such as used at the front and rear ends of automobiles and other vehicles, and aims to provide a spring bar bumperof novel and improved construction having special advantages and points of utility.

Another object is the provision of novel means for assembling the bars to provide.

a substantial construction capable of withstanding severe shocks and strains, yet pro-' viding resiliency or cushioning action to absorb shocks as much'as possible.

A further object is the provision of a sliding frictional contact between the ends of the bars to provide for freedom of flexibility of the end portions, of the bars, and, at the same time, to provide for a cooperation between the bars to resist bending strains.

With the foregoing and other objects in view, which will be apparent as the description proceeds, the invention resides in the construction and arrangement of parts, as hereinafter described and claimed, it being understood that changes can be made within the scope of what is claimed, without departing from the spirit of the invention.

The invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawing wherein- Figure 1 is a front View of the improved bumper.

Fig. 2 is a plan view thereof.

Figs. 3, 4 and 5 are enlarged cross sections on the lines 33, H and 5-5, respectively, of Fig. 2.

The bumper comprises the vertically spaced resilient bars 7 disposed at the front or face of the bumper, and the rear resilient bar 8, the front and rear bars being spaced apart, and having their edges presented upwardly and downwardly, whereby the bars are rigid vertically but are capable of bending forwardly and rearwardly. Said bars are composed of comparatively heavy stock so as not to have too free bending movement.

A spring bar or strip 9 is disposed between the fron and r a s, and sthinner tha the bars 7 and 8 so asto have greater resil: iency, and the bar 9 is ofzig-zag formation so as to occupy the space between the front and rear bars and to provide a resilient and bracing connect on between the bars. The

space between the front bars 7 is lessthan the width of the bars 8 and 9, whereby the edge portions of the bars 8 and 9 can overlapfthe adjacent edge portions of the bars 7.

7 he bars 7 are secured together at suitable dist'ancesfrom the ends thereof, by the vertical plates or stays 10 and 11 overlapping the front and rear surfaces of said bars, and

bolts 12 or other securing elements are en gaged through said plates and bars for clamping and securing them together.

The end portions of the bar 9 overlap the rear plates or stays 11, andbolts 1-3 eXtend through the plates 11, end portions ofthe bar 9 and 'thebar 8, and spacer sleeves 14 surround said bolts and are disposed between the bars 8 and 9 for spacing said bars apart. The heads of the bolts 13 are disposed between the bars 7 and between the plates 10 and 11, and when said bolts are tightened,-

the bars 8 and 9am secured rigidly to the bars 7.

The intermediate portion of the bar 9 bears against and is secured to the intermediate portions of the bars 7. A plate 15 bears against the intermediate portions of the bars 7 in front of said bars,and the bolt 16 extends through said plate 15 and through the intermediate portion ofthe bar 9 for clamping the bars 7 between said plate 15 and bar 9, thereby securing the in termediate portion of the spring bar 9 to the bars 7. The plate 15 may be used as a monogram plate for containing a monogram or other design, for purpose of ornamentation.

The spring bar 9 is secured between its intermediate portion and ends to the rear bar 8 by means of rivets or other securing elements 17. Such bar 9 thus provides a stay connection between the front and rear bars, to brace the front and rear bars one from the other, but the bar 9 is resilient in order that the front and rear bars can bend between the ends thereof. The construction, however, is strong so as to be capable of withstandin great strains, without the bars being easi y bent out of shape when striking an obstruction.

The end portions or terminals of the front and rear bars are curved rearwardly,

and have asliding frictional contact. Thus, the ends of the rear bar 8 are bent back forwardly in the form of hooks to extend reversely, as at 18, so as to project toward the center of the bumper opposite to the ends of the bars 7, and the ends 18 of the rear bar overlap and bear against the ends of the bars 7 with a frictional sliding contact. This avoids a positive connection beends of the bars.

tween the ends of the front and rear bars, and" therefore provides for greater freedom offorward and rearward flexibility of the 'When the ends of the front bars 7 are sprung rearwardly, pressure is exerted against the ends 18 of the rear bar, and the end portions of the rear bar are therefore also sprung rearwardly,

' and the ends of the front and rearbar can have a sliding action relatively to one an other instead of the ends of the bars being united so as to require a buckling or dis torting bending action of the bars. The

rear bar thus receives the rearward pres sure against the ends of the front bars, so that the strains are distributed between the front and rear bars, and the upper and lower front bars can also have independent flexing movements at the ends thereof. This arrangement also avoids the requirement for using securing means for fastening the ends of the bars together, as well as providing for greater flexibility.

The rear bar 8 is secured to either end of the vehicle by suitable brackets or clamps, and said bar is secured to the vehicle at points of the bar near the bolts 13, preferably between said bolts and the rivets 17.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed as new 'is:

1. A bumper comprising spaced resilient bars, one bar having an end bent back in the form of; a hook to extend reversely and contacting frictionally and slidably with another bar. I

2. A bumper comprising resilient front and rear bars, the rear bar having an end bent back forwardly and contacting frictionally and slidably with the corresponding end of the front bar 3. A bumper comprislng spaced resilient bars secured together between their ends, the

ends of one bar being bent back in tthe form of hooks to, extend reversely and contacting frictionally and slidably with the other bar.

4. A bumper comprising spaced front and rear resilient bars secured together between their ends,the rear bar having itsends bent back forwardly and contactingfrictionally.

securing said bars together between their ends, the ends of the rear bar contacting frictionally and slidably with the ends of both front bars. I

8. A bumper comprising a pair of spaced front resilient bars, a rear resilient bar spaced from the front bars, and means for securing said bars together between their ends, the ends of the rear bar being bent back forwardly and contacting frictionally 125nd sl'idably with'the ends of both front ars.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in'the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

' BENNIE P. HANSON,

' /Vitnesses:

A MAYER, I: B. 'BEEKS.

spaced from the front bars, and means for i 

